Short Track Models
Construction Topics => Fab shop-under construction pics => Topic started by: Maineboy on July 04, 2021, 09:34:45 PM
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My best friend and I built this race car in the spring of 1966. It had been his street car, a 56 Chevy 150 with the old 235 and 3 on the tree. We drove around in it one Sat night then got up next morning and gutted it. We made one appearance at the track in it's original color, then got it painted the next week. This photo was taken on a Sunday morning in late May 1966, just before towing the few miles to the track. My buddy and I were both 17 when we built it, I turned 18 just a couple weeks before this pic.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51228805670_c1b370546d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m3V29b)56chevy1 (https://flic.kr/p/2m3V29b) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
I got the model of the 56 Chevy Del Rey a couple months back. Had a very rainy day so had a chance to clean off my bench and box up the 57 Ford project for the moment. Got out the body and floor pan and started looking and thinking. Then got out my saw and knife and started cutting. Used my Zona saw some and used a sheetrock utility knife. I find I can hold that knife in my hand and control it better than an Exacto knife. Got the right front fender cut to match the full sized car and got the chrome removed as far back as the trailing edge of the door. Got that fender cut out and made it a whole lot neater than it was on the original one we built.
[(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51291158249_652b4e72e9_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9qAoD)DSCF0003 (5) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9qAoD) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Took one of the interior side panel and looked at that a bit trying to figure how much work it would be to remove the armrests, window cranks and interior upholstery from that. Looked like a lot of boring work.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51291160479_dfef7e3ef1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9qB46)DSCF0002 (4) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9qB46) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Then I had an inspiration. Those panels are flat on the other side, and both side panels are straight with the same cutouts to line up with the dash and the rear of the interior section. So I had the idea to switch them from side to side so they would be inside out with the flat side of each panel facing the interior. Then saw there was a lip cast on the bottom of each that allowed them to index on the edge of the floor pan. 5 mins worth of work with my sprue cutters took those little flanges off and voila! Now I have to take just a bit of body filler and fill in those 3 holes and I have smooth inner body panels, as easy as pie. Already got some body filler in the holes, will likely need a skim coat.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51290449256_329ac132b8_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9mXCC)DSCF0001 (7) (https://flic.kr/p/2m9mXCC) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Got the motor nearly assembled enough for basic paint. Thinking of working on the floor pan shortly. Will update with photos as I go along although be patient as this is my busy part of the year and only get rainy days like this one to work on it.
MB
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Nice job on that front fender cut. And yes, turning the interior door panels around backwards saves a lot of time. There's going to be a lot of good bar work on this one!
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The "piping up" (local term for it at that time) was quite crude by modern standards, or any era standards. This car was never rolled so that never was tested. Looking at the photos last night I see that pesky vent window has to go. Much easier than taking out the real one, those things were a pain to remove and repair. Pondering on the firewall in the rear between body and trunk where fuel tank was. Rear seat cushions are molded into the interior pan. Will require some surgery for sure. It is fun to get going on it. I am just figuring out mostly one thing at a time and will see where it all goes.
Hankering to get this one done relatively quickly as I have a modified I want badly to get going on when I can. Got wheels and tires and body. Gathering up small parts as I can. Promises to be extremely challenging for me. I kinda like that.
MB
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Maineboy, you just about wrote my story. Myself and another guy (older than you two), decided to go racing in 1966. He had a '56 Chevy, 265, 3on a tree, soooo, 19 days later we were on the track. Never won a race with that car, but had a boat load of fun. Was able to go on racing for a few years after that. Looking forward to seeing this on done!
Rett
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We had a vast learning curve I can tell you. We didn't know enough to lock the rear end in the beginning. The engine would cut out in the turns. We thought it was flooding. Asked several well known racers how to fix it and they all just smiled and said you would have to figure it out. When going into a corner, and leaning the centrifugal force would make gas run into the right side of the float bowl and starve the left bank cylinders. Solution was to cut off the floats on the right side of the 4 bbl carb. Ran like a clock after that. All we had was street gears in the rear, 4:11's were the best we had. Think not having low enough axle gears hurt us. But like you say we had an awful lot of fun without spending a lot of $$$. We did spend a lot of sweat equity but have no regrets. Marriage and children ended my career. Have always loved it since though.
MB
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Diritman, you said the magic word.......FUN. Yes indeed it was fun for me too. And everybody I know who was in it then, in my area anyway, were doing it because they enjoyed it and had fun with it. Cars could be obtained for the next thing to free. We borrowed $40 from my friends mother to buy 4 shocks, our biggest investment outside of the motor. Families came to the races, many helped on the car. Mom, dad, kids, dogs the whole thing. It was indeed a family affair. It was great entertainment for our time. Ralph Nason, who owned Unity Raceway for a couple of decades said the same thing, it was a family affair and all went to the races. He said today there are too many other things to do. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of tracks are gone, no longer able to fill the stands. Back then, as you know, it did not cost much to race at all. Those days are gone. Not sure we are better off for it.
MB
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Well said. When the big money, professionally built parts, etc., came in. I got out. Couldn't afford to race anymore. I won a lot of races, made a lot of friends, had a hell of a lot of fun. Some are friends to this day.
Rett
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Progress as of July 12.
Got both wheel wells on right side cut out, got chassis assembled and first paint on that today. Also been working on the motor. I first bought the AMT 55 Chev Belair 2dr/post kit. Was planning on making some sort of modified from that. Recently decided to replicate our old 1:1 56 Chevy bomber as pictured. So bought the 56 Chevy Delray kit by Revell so I had the body. Was putting the running gear together late yesterday and started basic work on the motor. The 56 motor, 265 cu in sbc is not totally accurate as we had a 55 motor in the real car to start with. The 55 sbc was the first year of that engine and it had NO OIL filter. A mistake that was rectified in 56. So I raided the 55 kit to see what that motor looked like and found a startling difference in quality between the 2 kits. The Revell 56 has nice detailed parts on the engine, the AMT 55 kit motor looks like it was made out of modeling clay by some kid by comparison. The AMT kit has awful flash on most all parts. On small parts that is a pain to get to remove it on places like fan belts and pulleys. I grew up on those old AMT 3 in 1 kits in the early 1960's and loved all I built. Somehow they have lost something now. I am sure those kits are made with third world labor, such as it is, quality maybe not all that important, but those kits are NOT sold to us at third world prices. Take a look at the engine parts comparisons below.
Revell 56 kit motor at top, AMT 55 motor below. Difference is startling. Didn't count the bolts on that Revell oil pan but I am sure that the 4 on the AMT kit is not even close.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51307781336_e54383b8dc_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2maTMRA)DSCF0001 (8) (https://flic.kr/p/2maTMRA) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
56 Revell kit motor on the right, AMT motor at left. The detail on the Revell motor is great on timing cover and motor mounts just like the factory made them. The AMT motor is just simply crude by comparison. Parts fit on the AMT motor is not much either.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51308501704_6224952106_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2maXtZJ)DSCF0002 (5) (https://flic.kr/p/2maXtZJ) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Revell 56 motor on the bottom, AMT at the top. The Revell motor looks like a small block Chevy motor in many details, and I have looked at a few of them in the flesh also. The crudeness of the AMT kit is just something else.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51308503179_1c744f0561_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2maXura)DSCF0003 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2maXura) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Am I being too picky here? It seems that if Revell can find the die makers to make reasonably accurate parts, why can't AMT do the same? It helps a bit if you have some good parts to start with. Just like in the full size cars.
MB
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it may have something to do with how old the molds are or how many times they've been used. Al I know is that the visual comparison you have shown is startling. I usually try to put low detail motors in "hood down" cars and then put the better looking ones in Modifieds or other cars where more (or all) of the motor can be seen.
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Cool project and who would know better how to build a model of the real car than you!
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Really like where this one is going. Keep us updated, please.
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Been a long while since I last worked on this project. Summers are like that when you are doing some farming. We just got the last couple of fields of hay chopped and in the silage pit just 3 wks or so ago. So now with darkness at 4 in our part of Maine, I finally get time to work on this project again.
Pass side wheel cutouts enlarged and chrome removed. Still needs sanding
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51711246547_5562454c29_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mMxE1k)bomber3 (https://flic.kr/p/2mMxE1k) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Just set the not quite complete motor in the frame this evening.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51712030831_14ac8f753a_w.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mMBF9t)bomber1 (https://flic.kr/p/2mMBF9t) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Another photo from the front
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51712911820_cb0ed87d3b_w.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mMGc2W)bomber2 (https://flic.kr/p/2mMGc2W) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
I did the frame with a rattle can of Rustoleum "hammered" satin black. You can see litle dimples in it on the top control arm. The paint has got some gloss in it for "satin". I am planning on dry brushing the entire frame with 2 different Testor's craft colors to make it appear sort of rusted as a ten yr old car in Maine would look. Nothing on this original car was shiny other than that coat of blue we put on just a few days before the original pic.
This is the first model of a 265 V8 that I have seen that has the correct exhaust manifolds on it. Most all SBC engine models have the rams horn but those didn't come out til 57. The valve covers we painted flat aluminum back in 1965 as we did not have money to get the cast aluminum "Corvette" covers that summer. I bought a set of them when I went off to auto mechanics school that fall. They were on our motors always after that. I still got those covers, the only reminder, other than a few pics, of that very fun and exciting part of my life. On 55 through 57 engines the top 2 valve cover screws were closer to the center so they looked staggered. The ones on this engine are not quite correct as they are not staggered. But then again this has an auto trans on it and the original one had a 3 spd manual.
The valve covers on this engine were painted with Tamyia flat aluminum with a brush. I put a lot of wash on the whole thing and let it set for a minute and used a Q tip to remove some of it till I liked the effect. I think that worked pretty good on this motor. The carb is a bit crude but the air cleaner will hide that. Good to get back at it again. Does anybody else's bench look as cluttered as mine or am I am one of a kind in that dept?
MB
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Got a good start! Looking good so far.
Rett
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:) Oooh ! Darkness at 500 in Mississippi is bad enough.
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Looking really good so far, keep us posted on progress.
Bob
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Question: what did you use for paint on the exhaust manifolds? ...I really like the look
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I was quite pleased by how that looked in those pictures, pretty realistic looking for old chevy manifolds. It was Tamiya Flat Brown, XF-10. Took two coats with a brush to look like that. I have all other browns and red browns I have fooled around with but that seems the best. I have read a person who said it worked better if thinned out some. Just happens to look about right when it flattens out real good.
MB
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This great stuff MB, you have really captured my attention. Very interesting story to start out with and to keep everyone tuned in. Thanks.
Al
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Fordguy,
Thanks for the good words. I love to talk and listen to others talking on my favorite subjects.....which don't include women as I have not done well in that regard. I would rather be assembling a killer 301 Chevy engine, about which I know more than I will ever know about women.
Trying to make a silly little joke there. Actually I like history, it's one of my favorite topics. When I was sneaking looks at this forum, long before I joined, I loved seeing the "how to" builds that took one from beginning to end of a nice model, especially when they incorporated some history of the real car in their stories. I have not really seen that anywhere else. In these days of no magazines to read anymore we are on our own. This is a nice little group of guys assembled here and I am glad to be among good talented people now where a guy can learn something every visit to STM. I noticed in my early looks that many were sorry that there did not seem to be more people posting. I thought about that a lot, and most all the models that replicate cars that actually existed at one time, and realized that all of those cars had a history. Where we are lucky photographs survive, some good enough to build a replica from. And all those 1:1 cars had people that built them and people that crewed on them and people that not only drove them but others who competed against them. That is a lot of stuff to write about and you know what?
Every bit of that had to do with cars that actually existed and had fame to one degree or another. And even if it only had "local" fame, it still was important to those areas of the country and the people who built them, drove em and cheered for, or against, them. I encourage others that want to do so to weave any history they have knowledge of into the stories and how they relate to certain cars. Just from reading STM for a few months I have learned quite a bit about racing cars and their drivers and builders, that I did not know existed.
So build on guys, and if you are creating a replica to honor some once great racing machine, tell us all you can about it's history. The background is just as important, and fun to talk about, as is the real car. Life is a learning curve and we never know what we will learn tomorrow......until we get there.
MB
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Good morning MB, more truer words have not been spoken about this wonderful sport we all covet so much. BTW you're not the only one not having too much luck in the woman department, I'm not either and that's okay it allows more time for my street rod and modeling. You guys have a great day.
Al
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Fordguy,
Pretty sure I am not alone in that. But like you I find I can spend more time dreaming and building models and reading. Life is what we make it.
MB
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Finally getting a bit of time to work on this. Lost one of my 2 dogs Monday and there is some sadness associated with that. Late fall usually sees me doing all kinds of outdoor chores to get ready for winter. I burn a lot of wood and there is quite a lot of work in that. Got a bit of snow now and more weather tomorrow night. Should be used to it by now I guess.
I am interested in HO gauge model railroading and do a little work in that. I have not done much dry brushing but have tried a little bit by using finely ground pastel chalks to age railroad equipment. Never done anything like that on a car but nothing to be lost by giving it a shot I thought. This car was a street car in Maine for 10 yrs anyway and saw sand and salt on winter roads. So I wanted to make the model like it had indeed done just that if I could. Gloss would have been way out of reality for this car. I remember that it was anything but gloss underneath. Sprayed the undercarriage with Rustoleum "hammered" satin black. When dry it looks a bit like rust pitting. Got some cheap Testor's craft paint at the hardware. Took a wide stiff bristled brush and went for it.
Looks like this.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51752670512_5e055ebf67_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mRcXUC)DSCF0008 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2mRcXUC) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
And this was what I used to do it.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51753731333_fa019812c0_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mRipfD)DSCF0009 (7) (https://flic.kr/p/2mRipfD) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
For a guy who did not really know what he was doing I kind of surprised myself. Don't think it looks all that bad for a beginner in that tactic. Think I might get some more suitable brushes next time. But it sure brings out the details. Going to flat coat it to kill what shine is still there. But I consider it a start at least.
What do you guys think? And advice for a guy wanting to learn from others how it could be made better?
MB
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That is a fine-looking chassis. Just wondering if there might not be some rust through after that many years of road miles in salt. Still looks very presentable and gives me some ideas, when/if I can get back to my bench (basement is too cold to work in).
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What do you guys think? And advice for a guy wanting to learn from others how it could be made better?
MB
So far so good :)
The '55 Ford Custom that I finished a couple months ago was my absolute first time weathering.....going to pass along some advise that was given to me...
Start subtle and gradually build up till you have your desired look... its a whole lot easier to add more than to try and remove too much.
Continuity is very important.....examples, you cant have the bottom 1/2 or 3rd of the body dirtied up, damaged and the rest clean....the inner wheel wells/fenders cant be clean if your showing weathering anywhere near the tires/wheels, suspension etc. etc.
Avoid the urge to use any gloss paint, unless your going for the effect that the body was recently clean and free of dirt, rust, etc. and now has been dirtied up, damaged, etc. I laid down one of my best two tone paint jobs using gloss paints on the '55 Ford Custom only to weather it...got the effect that I was after (mid season, after a race.
Use dull coat...as many coats as it takes to knock the shine down, especially on parts like the engine/tranny, suspension and fuel cell/tank if visible. You cant have a bright, shiny engine if the rest of the bay is weathered and visa versa.
Earth tone chalks are a little more forgiving if you make a mistake verses paint. Even with weathering use a Black wash on surfaces like door seams, between hood and trunk lid and the body. I used a Black wash on the engine and trans. on the '55 Ford build.....a couple of coats really made a huge difference.
Your frame and bottom floor pan looks like it needs to look for an asphalt car....a right balance of weathering and if you choose to add some small areas of stains from fluid leaks or exhaust carbon, it will only enhance what you have done to this point of the build.
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Brian, Thanks much for that advice. I was just looking at the body a few minutes ago and thinking about where else I have to do this too in order to all match up. The photograph of the original car, back in 66 or so was taken only 2 or 3 days after the blue paint was applied, so that could look very shiny, until it got to the track anyway. I have read a bit about weathering model railroad equipment and your advice is what I have seen there. Start lightly and work it up. Just my little bit of experience here shows me that it does not take a lot to have a pretty good effect. I have my trusty can of flat clear and will knock that shine off just as soon as I get weather to paint it in. Can't paint in the house due to wife issues with alergies.
I am trying to make it look like I remember it as best as my memory serves me and am having fun learning knew stuff to that end. The original car was green and white so the inside of the door frames and other stuff may have to show some very worn out and dirty old green. The dash was entirely green except for the chrome part in the center.
This model thing can get tedious often but some times it can just be fun. I had some fun just trying to do something I had not done before. I try to keep the shine down on race cars, as you say. At Speedway 95 in Bangor every spring they have "parade night" when everyone struts their shiny new cars with the fancy paint jobs and all. That does not last too long after.
We had another #56 2 yrs after this one, that car was a 4 dr hardtop. I have a pic of that to put on here someday and you talk about battle damage . The entire front sheet metal is missing on that one. That will be hard to model as I don't know of anyone ever making a 4 dr hardtop model kit.
MB
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Got up this morning and it was snowing some. Didn't want to go out and work or drive in it so thought it was a good day to work on this project. Worked on the body work mostly. Finally kind of mocked it up to see if things would fit OK. Found out the air cleaner is too high and can't put the hood on. Also think I will have to cut the sheetmetal in front of the radiator saddle mount in order to get access to the frame. We had a strong support to protect the radiator and it had braces going down to the frame in that area. We also had smaller bars that came up from that in order to support the front fenders and stuff. Trying to remember how we did something, over 50 yrs ago, is not easy. There is a lot more to this project than I thought but having fun with it, that's what matters I think.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51783570826_37de3f6a4a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mTWkuE)DSCF0011 (7) (https://flic.kr/p/2mTWkuE) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
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MB
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This is getting frustrating. Trying to build it as I remember it and ending up trying to get things too fine if you know what I mean. I am getting near the end. Get finish paint on the body, build the cage and do the lettering. Hopefully not too much longer, got other things I want to work on.
Underside
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51846131307_300cd9a4e2_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mZsYxD)DSCF0004 (https://flic.kr/p/2mZsYxD) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Body in primer
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51847101911_26208c2c96_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mZxX5c)DSCF0009 (8) (https://flic.kr/p/2mZxX5c) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Interior, not fancy at all
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51847101181_f415cab62a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2mZxWRB)DSCF0008 (7) (https://flic.kr/p/2mZxWRB) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
The cage is going to be the hardest part I think.
MB
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Lookin' great, love the back story, too!
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Finally......I have reached the end of this project. I found that one of the things about trying to build a model of a car you actually had in full size can be exhausting as you try to replicate everything the way you remembered that it was. So I reached a point where I decided I just had to let some of those things go. What mattered in the end was that I hope I captured the essence of the original.
First pic is the original 1:1 car, in the spring of 1966.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51228805670_c1b370546d_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2m3V29b)56chevy1 (https://flic.kr/p/2m3V29b) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
Tried to get something similar to the angle of the original pic to this one of the model.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954534194_c69b5c2eed_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3yWW)DSCF0004 (3) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3yWW) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
When you take the close up pics you see all the mistakes. Left out the seat belt. My mother did the bookkeeping for a local oil business. Behind their office was the lovely junkyard just full of nice stuff left over from WWII. The seat belt we had came out of an airplane of that era. The gas tank was rectangular and came out of some other museum piece. Pipes for the cage were gathered up from wherever we found them. That windshield was a side window out of a 47 Chevy school bus, the first bus I ever rode, which had found it's way to the junkyard. Still love those kind of places today.The blue paint was a mix of several the local body shop had leftover in cans.....mixed all together. Think I came fairly close. Left a lot of flashing on that rear window opening. Oh well. Sure not going to redo it now.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51953238692_b7db70297a_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2n9VVQG)DSCF0001 (10) (https://flic.kr/p/2n9VVQG) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954227571_5384cc78d5_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na1ZNk)DSCF0002 (8) (https://flic.kr/p/2na1ZNk) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954231901_37a4ba3064_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na225Z)DSCF0008 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2na225Z) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954537569_974fb18c87_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3zX8)DSCF0009 (8) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3zX8) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954306113_fe4559fba1_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na2p9v)DSCF0010 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2na2p9v) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954542169_66ea7e9534_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3Bjr)DSCF0011 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2na3Bjr) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51954835570_b5c2a8a453_z.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2na57x5)DSCF0013 (6) (https://flic.kr/p/2na57x5) by Nathan Pitts (https://www.flickr.com/photos/193115025@N07/), on Flickr
I think the most nerve wracking part was painting the numbers and the name. My hand was pretty shaky back in 1966, as you can tell I was not a sign painter. Never improved a bit in 56 yrs, but got it done anyway. Original car was green and white so got the interior of the model pretty good, even getting some blue overspray like the original as we didn't tape anything up then.
Just glad to have it behind me now. Next up is John Beauchamp's 60 Chevy. Got the motor painted yesterday so that one is underway.
MB
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Excellent build. Love the '56 Chevy, my first was a 150 3 on the tree, 6 cylinder.
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Awesome realism!!!
My first racer was a 56 with a 265 and 2bbl. That thing could hardly get out of its own way! But I was racing and it allowed a lot of room for improvement! Which I did!!
Rett
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Thanks Rett,
We raced for three seasons. By that time it was becoming obvious that it was very quickly coming to the point where it took good money to win. You no longer could build something out of junk and be competitive. Being married and having 2 children drove the end of my racing career. I still followed it for a long time, but from the stands, often thinking if I could get back into it some times, but didn't. My buddy went and build a modified but 2 seasons of that finished him too. I am only 30 miles from Speedway 95 in Bangor but don't go there either. In the upper classes you have to have crate engines to compete. A major expense before you even do anything else. Money has destroyed NASCAR too, can't stand to watch that anymore either.
Building this model was fun but exhausting trying to build it just as it was. Back in the day of that old car it was just gobs of fun. We paid $50 for the engine out of a junkyard, and $40 for a set of shocks. Most everything else was picked up for about nothing. You could buy a tri 5 Chevy out of a junkyard for $50 and you could find 40's fords behind barns that they would give to you to haul off. The memories of all the fun we had are still there, time can't take them away.
Wish more people were posting, don't want to see this place die out, there are lots of good people and good stuff to learn here.
MB
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....I really like what you where able to accomplish with this build....very much period correct...and your attention to detail is outstanding.
Question: Is that a brake light in the center between the trunk lid and rear window? Seen that done way back when a car was flat towed.
....................Wish more people were posting, don't want to see this place die out, there are lots of good people and good stuff to learn here.
MB
I hear you...got a few MIA's that I am starting to wonder about....I don't know whats keeping most everyone from saying anything....I'm starting to feel like I am playing to an audience of one, yet again, with my current W.I.P here even though the view numbers are pushing 2100 ???
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Brian,
Thanks for the nice words. My model is really not something that elaborate yet the real one was pretty special to me as it was my break to get to the race track owning a car. Trying to recreate one of those is exhausting as you try to make it just right, like you remembered it. That red spot on the trunk is an example. that was our gas tank filler pipe and to make it special I just painted it red at the last moment as I saw in the early photos I had left it unpainted. Was a fuel tank out of some WWII donor that was in that junkyard we raided so often. Come to think of it I think the real one was kind of rusty silver.
I hope that people will keep posting. I have learned so much in the less than a year I have been here. Each build I see is a bit of a challenge to me to make my next one better than the last. Working on John Beauchamp's'60 Impala now. Not going to get too fine on it as I just want a good example of a little known car he drove.
I love the history of the cars, the builders, the drivers, the tracks and everything about this sport especially in the old days. I love learning about that history in other parts of the country I am not familiar with. All of this makes building more fun for me as I am trying to capture a bit of history with each one.
MB
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Hi Maine boy, I've been away for a while but got back on here today and saw your beautiful replica. Love what you did on the interior panels and your weathering on the chassis is super. I love what you did with the car in every respect and don't kick yourself, about the small details, after all over 50 years have passed and lots of things went on in your life as with all of us. Item of interest for you, I bought my hobby stock in 67or so, a 56 Ford 2 door post. At eighteen years old I paid a princely sum of $35.00...that's with a girlfriend! The car was race ready except for a frost plug. Went to a parts store and bought one for twenty-five cents and my buddy put it in for me for five or six bucks. Doing that today would probably cost me one hundred to two hundred bucks easy. Sad that a poor man's sport has to be now for the rich only! Great job on your model.
Al
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That replica of your race car is awesome Mainboy. Great back story too....